Roofing has always been one of the mainstays of the slate industry. While the task of splitting slate in the quarries or mills requires skill and practice, the job of applying it to rooftops also demands highly specialized abilities and knowledge.

Well-known local slate roofer Curly Williams roofed this birdfeeder after his daughter, Mary Williams Bianco, asked him to replace the old roof with slate. She expected him to apply just a few large tiles, but Curly cut, punched, and attached each tiny piece by hand and surprised her with a far more intricate installation.

Many slate workers describe their trade as more than just a job, but as a central part of their lives. They take great pride in their craft. Mary, now deceased, volunteered at the museum when she donated this object to our collection. She shared many stories about her father and his love of the stone he worked with. She stated many times that “slate was one of the loves of his life.”

Curly’s is a story like many slate workers who left behind their legacies through examples of the many things slate workers can do with the stone in their spare time. The slate roofing on this birdfeeder is a wonderful example of where work and slate as a utilitarian function meets art.